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EU policy overview

As a member of the European Union, Ireland plays its role in developing policies that affect not only Irish people but how the EU interacts with the rest of the world. EU policy can be broadly divided into internal (common) policies and external policies.

Internal policies

The internal policies of the EU are also known as common policies. They have a direct impact on EU citizens in every member state and cover issues such as:

Agricultural policy

Food safety

Environment standards

External policies

External policies are focused on political co-operation between member states on issues such as:

Enlargement of the EU

Aid and humanitarian assistance

Trade and external relations with countries outside the EU

Promotion of peace, democracy and stability beyond the EU's borders

Implementing policies

The three main EU Institutions - the Commission, the Council of the EU and the European Parliament - work together to create and approve EU policies. However, each institution has a different role.

European Commission

The European Commission represents the interests of the EU as a whole. It proposes new legislation to the Council and the Parliament and makes sure that EU law is correctly applied by member states.

Council of the European Union

The Council of the European Union is where our ministers represent Ireland. They come together with ministers from other member states to amend EU policy the Commission has proposed and to vote on these proposals.

European Parliament

Irish MEPs in the European Parliament represent the views and concerns of their constituents when policy proposals are being discussed within committees and during a Plenary sitting of the entire Parliament. The Parliament can also make amendments to policy proposals.